Meat plant future under review again

Wed, 09 Nov 2011

A government takeover of the Island's meat plant may not happen now there's a new Minister in charge of DEFA.

The abattoir in Tromode has been in financial trouble over recent years and last month it was announced that it would be taken into government ownership in an attempt to turn it round.

New Minister for Food and Agriculture Phil Gawne is now not convinced this is the right way forward.

The matter has been put under review and the department will continue to look at other options.

When the takeover was announced we were told the alternative was enforced closure of the plant.

According to the government this would mean a dramatic, unplanned change to the livestock industry, an end to Manx meat in local shops, an increase in live animal exports to UK markets, and the loss of an area of local manufacturing employment.